Infantry weapon adapted to fire a plurality of cartridges simultaneously

ABSTRACT

An infantry weapon comprises a carrier block with a plurality of firing chambers and barrels carried by the block in extension of the chambers. A clip with a plurality of cartridges equal to the number of barrels is fed from a stack in the weapon and a breech block carrier pushes the cartridges from the clip into the firing chambers. After percussion of the cartridges, the breech block carrier and carrier block retract to enable insertion of a new clip into the weapon and expulsion of the old clip after the spent cartridges have been reintroduced therein.

United States Patent [1 1 Jampy et al.

1March 13, 1973 1 INFANTRY WEAPON ADAPTED TO FIRE A PLURALITY OFCARTRIDGES SIMULTANEOUSLY [76] Inventors: Pierre Jampy, 5, rue Pauphile;Henri Bouix, Cote du Monteil; Rene Armand, 22, rue Georges Thyvent, allof Tulle, France [22] Filed: Aug. 26, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 67,096

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1920 Luciani 089/1 L2/1928 Baldwin 2,926,568 3/1960 Neder ..89/126 2,977,856 4/1961 Fletcher..89/1 26 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 491 1882 Great Britain..89/11 Primary ExaminerStephen C. Bentley Att0meyWaters, Roditi,Schwartz & Nissen [57] ABSTRACT An infantry weapon comprises a carrierblock with a plurality of firing chambers and barrels carried by theblock in extension of the chambers. A clip with a plurality ofcartridges equal to the number of barrels is fed from a stack in theweapon and a breech block carrier pushes the cartridges from the clipinto the firing chambers. After percussion of the cartridges, the breechblock carrier and carrier block retract to enable insertion of a newclip into the weapon and expulsion of the old clip after the spentcartridges have been reintroduced therein.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHAR] 31975 SHEET 10F 2 FIG. I

INFANTRY WEAPON ADAPTED TO FIRE A PLURALITY OF CARTRIDGES SIMULTANEOUSLYBRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a semi-automaticor fully automatic adjustable-spread volley-firing infantry weapon.

Such weapon can be an automatic piston, rifle, an automatic rifle ormachine gun.

Contemporary weapons of this type can be adjusted for single shot orburst firing. If it is required to increase the probability of hits overa limited period of action, it is advisable to fire small bursts (ofthree shots, for example) or to use cartridges each containing severalprojectiles e.g. multiple bullets. In the case of burst firing, howeverhigh the firing rate, the spread of the hits obtained is not adaptableto the gunner. The same holds true in the use of cartridges with severalprojectiles. It can be proved mathematically and experimentally that thehit probability becomes maximum for an n-shot burst e.g. n 3, when thecone of dispersion for said n shots has a particular value dependent onthe gunners skill and the characteristics of the target. Thus, for agiven target, the cone of dispersion of the n shots does not have to bethe same for a marksman as for a novice.

An object of the invention is to provide a weapon which is adapted tosimultaneously fire n shots and wherein the cone of dispersion of the nshots can be adjustable. The particular value n 3 has been chosen forreasons of space, weight and cartridge consumption.

To achieve this object, the weapon according to the present inventionhas three simultaneously fed barrels with percussion of three cartridgesall at the same time so that the bearing of the weapon has no effect onthe dispersion. The relative bearing of the three barrels can beadjusted to obtain a particular, optimal dispersion for the individualgunner.

The weapon according to this invention comprises a block in which threebarrels are fitted, and a triplehead breech block carrier. Thecartridges are packed in threes in clips stacked in a loader. A feedingdevice enables the three cartridges of a clip to be inserted into thethree chambers of the three barrels. After simultaneous percussion, thethree cartridge cases are reintroduced into their clip which issubsequently ejected. A simple mechanical device can be placed at theend of the three barrels, cause their relative angle to be adjusted byslight flexion, so as to obtain the required angle of dispersion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational viewpartly in section of a weapon according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a portion of the weapon;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a modified form of clip used inthe weapon; and

FIGS. 4-8 are sectional views through a portion of the weapon showingdifferent stages of operation thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the weapon essentiallycomprises a breech casing 1 in which is slidably mounted agun-tubecarrier block 2 with three barrels 3 fitted thereon. Forpurposes of lightness in weight, the barrels 3 terminate at the locationwhere the grooves are effective, the firing chambers 4 being machined inthe gun-tube carrier block 1. Breech block carrier 5 also slides in thebreech block carrier casing l. The breech carries three heads 6, eachwith an extractor 7 and a firing pin 8, and two trace hooks 9 pivotalaround a pin 10 fixed to the breech and constantly pulled upward by aspring 11. The hooks 9 allow the breech block carrier 5 to be coupled tothe gun-tube carrier block 2. A roller 12 projects laterally on eachcoupler hook 9 and rolls in a guide groove 13 in the breech casing 1.The gun-tube carrier block is urged forward by a spring 14 while thebreech is urged forward by two springs 15. The springs 14 and 15 abutagainst the rear edge 16 of breech casing 1. The breech casing l carriesthe remaining conventional mechanisms which include a butt stock 17, apercussion mechanism 18 with a trigger 19, a buffer device 20 for thegun-tube carrier block 2, and a sighting system 21. A rectangular loader22 contains a plurality of cartridge clips 23 pushed upward by a spring24. Each clip, of rectangular shape holds three cartridges 25. At oneside of the weapon is a clip ejection port 26, while an ejection lever(not shown) is housed on the other side.

The operation of the weapon is as follows:

As seen in FIG. 4, at the instant when percussion is about to takeplace, breech block carrier 5 is coupled to gun-tube carrier block 2 andthe three breech heads 6 completely traverse the chambers of clips 23 toexpel the three cartridges into the chambers 4 and to act as a supportfor the base of the cartridges. Then the cartridges are fired by pullingtrigger 19. The recoil impulse due to the simultaneous firing of thethree cartridges has the effect in a first phase as shown in FIG. 5 ofpushing breech block carrier 5 and gun-tube carrier block 2 back for alength equal to that of the clip 23. At the end of this first movement,the two rollers 12 are compelled to move upward, by a rise of the guidegrooves 13 in which they roll, causing unlocking of breech block carrier5 from block 2 at the instant when the gun-tube carrier block 2 and clip23 strike against a stop 27 integral with the breech casing 1.

Referring next to FIG. 6, the gun-tube carrier block 2 under the actionof its draw-back spring 14 starts moving forwardly, while the breechblock carrier 5 through inertia continues its rearward motion, the clip23 remaining against the stop 27. The three cartridge cases 28 aregradually reinserted into their original clip by the engagement ofextractors 7 of breech heads 6 q with the cartridge.

FIG. 7 shows the next phase of operation wherein breech block carrier 5continues its rearward travel until the base of the three cartridgecases likewise abuts against stop 27. Another clip is then introducedinto the gun-tube carrier block with its three cartridges 25.

FIG. 8 shows the breech block carrier 5 at the end of its backwardstroke. The extractors disengage leaving the three cartridge casesagainst stop 27, and the breech block carrier acts on the ejection rod(not shown) which expels the clip 23 and the three cartridge casesthrough the slot 26 in the breech casing 1.

Breech block carrier 5 under the thrust of its springs advancesforwardly and inserts the three new cartridges into the chambers of thegun-tube carrier block and the cycle starts again.

For adjustment of the spread of dispersion of the cartridges, anadjustment device can be employed to adjust the bearing or angularpositions of the barrels by slight bending thereof.

To limit space and weight, the clips 23 are made of plastic, and theirshape is advantageously as shown in FIG. 3.

The construction of the weapon as just described is given solely by wayof example and conventional features of internal construction can ofcourse be devised, to allow the simultaneous firing of the threecartridges and the adjustment of their dispersion or spread.

What is claimed is:

1. An infantry weapon comprising a plurality of gun barrels, means forsimultaneously feeding a cartridge towards each barrel, means forproducing simultaneous percussion of the cartridges and discharge fromthe barrels, a loading device containing a plurality of stacked clipseach having as many cartridges as there are barrels, means for feedingsuccessive clips towards the barrels for percussion of the cartridgestherein, means for expelling each clip after percussion of thecartridges therein, means for removing the cartridges from each clip inpreparation for percussion, means for reinserting the cartridges afterpercussion into their original clip before the clip is expelled wherebythe clip and spent cartridges are ejected together, a displaceablecarrier block with firing chambers therein in a number equal to thenumber of barrels, said means for removing the cartridges from each clipcomprising a displaceable breech block carrier releasably coupled tosaid carrier block and including breech heads positioned to engage thecartridges in a clip to push the cartridges into the firing chambers,said means for reinserting the cartridges into their original clipcomprising stop means to engage the carrier block after rearwardmovement thereof under the effect of exhaust gases produced bypercussion of the cartridges, said stop means being positioned to limitthe movement of the carrier block while permitting continued rearwardtravel of the breech block carrier under the pressure of said exhaustgases so that the breech heads are withdrawn from the clip.

2. A weapon as claimed in claim 1 comprising an extractor on each breechhead for engaging a cartridge to withdraw the same from the firingchamber of the carrier block.

1. An infantry weapon comprising a plurality of gun barrels, means forsimultaneously feeding a cartridge towards each barrel, means forproducing simultaneous percussion of the cartridges and discharge fromthe barrels, a loading device containing a plurality of stacked clipseach having as many cartridges as there are barrels, means for feedingsuccessive clips towards the barrels for percussion of the cartridgestherein, means for expelling each clip after percussion of thecartridges therein, means for removing the cartridges from each clip inpreparation for percussion, means for reinserting the cartridges afterpercussion into their original clip before the clip is expelled wherebythe clip and spent cartridges are ejected together, a displaceablecarrier block with firing chambers therein in a number equal to thenumber of barrels, said means for removing the cartridges from each clipcomprising a displaceable breech block carrier releasably coupled tosaid carrier block and including breech heads positioned to engage thecartridges in a clip to push the cartridges into the firing chambers,said means for reinserting the cartridges into their original clipcomprising stop means to engage the carrier block after rearwardmovement thereof under the effect of exhaust gases produced bypercussion of the cartridges, said stop means being positioned to limitthe movement of the carrier block while permitting continued rearwardtravel of the breech block carrier under the pressure of said exhaustgases so that the breech heads are withdrawn from the clip.
 1. Aninfantry weapon comprising a plurality of gun barrels, means forsimultaneously feeding a cartridge towards each barrel, means forproducing simultaneous percussion of the cartridges and discharge fromthe barrels, a loading device containing a plurality of stacked clipseach having as many cartridges as there are barrels, means for feedingsuccessive clips towards the barrels for percussion of the cartridgestherein, means for expelling each clip after percussion of thecartridges therein, means for removing the cartridges from each clip inpreparation for percussion, means for reinserting the cartridges afterpercussion into their original clip before the clip is expelled wherebythe clip and spent cartridges are ejected together, a displaceablecarrier block with firing chambers therein in a number equal to thenumber of barrels, said means for removing the cartridges from each clipcomprising a displaceable breech block carrier releasably coupled tosaid carrier block and including breech heads positioned to engage thecartridges in a clip to push the cartridges into the firing chambers,said means for reinserting the cartridges into their original clipcomprising stop means to engage the carrier block after rearwardmovement thereof under the effect of exhaust gases produced bypercussion of the cartridges, said stop means being positioned to limitthe movement of the carrier block while permitting continued rearwardtravel of the breech block carrier under the pressure of said exhaustgases so that the breech heads are withdrawn from the clip.